Target apparatus



Aug 16, vv. A. TRM-SCH TARGET APPARATUS Filed April 1f',

58 BY M Ez ATTQRNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES rarer OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention pertains to amusement apparatus in the nature of a gameof skill, a particular object of the invention being the provision ofimproved target apparatus and an amusement device employing the same inthe novel arrangement hereinafter to be described.

Another object is the provision of a target apparatus of generalapplication and particularly adapted for use in coin-controlled targetdevices.

Another object is the provision of a novel indicating mechanismespecially Vadapted for use in a target game or the like but otherwiseof general application.

Another object is the provision of a target apparatus especially suitedfor use in a competitive game of skill.

Another object is the provision of a target apparatus having a pluralityof independent target members arranged to be struck and released bymissiles from a plurality oi projectors or guns in a competitive targetgame, there being, however, only one score or hit-indicating meanscornmen to all of the independent targets.

A further and more specific object is the provision of an improvedtarget apparatus including a housing having a target structure dividingthe same into a plurality of individual compartments. each compartmenthaving its own projector or gun for projecting a missile at a target inits own compartment, the several target structures of the severalcompartments having common score or hit-indicating means, the guns orprojectors being used individually or in a competitive test of skill,and a hit scored on any one ,5 target being effective to actuate acommon indicator so that a corresponding target belonging to an.adjoining chamber or compartment will be rendered inactive.

Still another object is the provision of means 4,0 at each gun orprojector for restoring all of the targets and indicators to an initialcondition ready for use. l

Viewed from another aspect, the invention has as an important object,,among others, the provision of a target structure including a pair ofspaced upright target panels with target openings therein and yieldabletarget members behind the openings and movable independently from aninitial position when struck by a missile through a corresponding targetopening, there being a hitindicating device in the form of a compositerockable ball-retaining member common to one or more targets on eachpanel with detent or latch means operable by the corresponding tar- 55.gets. on each panel and tripped when one of the targets is struck topermit one of the composite rocking elements to tilt so that anindicator or. ball therein will move into indicating position, therebeing means for restoring all of the indicators to an initial position.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certaindetails of construction and operation to appear hereinafter asA thefollowing description proceeds in View of the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of the target structurein a competitive skill game;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the targetstructure itself, as viewed along lines 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the middle ofthe target structure, as viewed in the direction Vof lines 3 3. of Fig.2; while Fig. 4 is a detail of a control or switch arrangement forsignal means cooperable with the target mechanism.

In one of its preferred embodiments, the invention is incorporated in agame apparatus, such as shown in Fig. l, and including a housing Illhaving opposite end walls Il and I2 with a central upright targethousing or chamber i3 dividing the main housing into two compartments Hand l2. Desirably, each of these latter compartments is provided with aglass cover panel and both compartments also have oppositely inclinedlicor panels such as the lioor Il", so that missiles in the form ofmarbles or pellets may roll toward the respective opposite end walls iland l2 for return to some form of projector.

Means for projecting a missile in the form of a marble or pellet mayinclude a gun I8 mounted in turret means on each of the end walls Il andl2, and each including a coin depository I9 into which proper coins aredeposited to release the gun for projection of a predetermined number ofmissiles. Each gun is provided with a reset member 2t, the purpose ofwhich will appear hereafter. Details of the gun are not referred toherein, since the same do not constitute a part of the invention andsince any one of a variety of known projectors of this class may beutilized in accomplishing the objects of the invention. I prefer,however, that the gun i8 be of the type described 4and claimed in UnitedStates Patent No. 1,551,858, such a gun or projector being of thecoin-controlled variety which is adapted to receive missiles or pelletsfrom an inclined iioor or delivery chute and project a determined numbercf 'the same with considerable energy.

The novel target apparatus constituting the present invention issituated in the target housing or chamber I3 of Fig. 1, this latterchamber including (Fig. 2) a pair of spaced upright target panels orplates 24 and 25 each provided with aligned target openings 25 and 21,the lower ends of the target panels being suitably mounted within themain housing I0 below the inclinedfloor sections, while the upper endsof the panels terminate somewhat below the curved dome plate I4 of thetarget chamber.

Mounted behind each of the individual target openings 25, 21, etc., areindividual targets 26 and 21', each of the same being attached as at 28to a flexible supporting arm 29 rigidly held at its lower end by meansof screw studs 30 seated in the panels.

At the upper ends of each of the yieldable'or flexible target supportingarms 23, are small detent studs 3i normally pressed by the bias of thearms close against the back side of their respece tive target panels.

Mounted for vertically sliding movement on the inner surface of each ofthe target panels 24 and 25, above each of the several target openings25, 21, etc., are a plurality of indicator releases in the form ofplates 34, 35, etc., mounted in side by side relation abovecorresponding target openings by means of spaced vertical channel orgroove members 36 secured by any suitable means to the inner surfaces ofthe target plates. Projecting inwardly from each of the release platesis a pin 31 to which is anchored one end of a coil spring 38, the lowerend of this spring being anchored to the corresponding screw stud 33which holds the corresponding exible target arm in mounted position.Thus, the several indicating release plates or members 34, 35, etc., areurged downwardly by individual spring members 38.

The detent studs 3| of each of theindividual iieXible target arms 29 arepositioned tounderlie the bottom edge of each of the indicator releaseplates so as to hold the latter in raised condition, as viewed in Figs.2 and 3, against the tension of their respective spring elements. Shoulda missile strike any of the targets 26, 21, etc., the impact would ilexthe corresponding target arm 29 inwardly so as to withdraw itsrespective detent 3i from beneath the corresponding release plate 34,35, etc., to permit the latter to drop quickly under the urgence of itsspring 38 for the purpose of indicating a hit in a manner which will nowbe described.

Mounted upon a common pivotrod 40 supported by bracket means 4l atop thetarget panels 24 and 25, are a plurality of rockable containers orcomposite troughs, each formed by a pair of trough elements 42 and 43open at their opposite ends and extending end to end in oppositedirections from a common pivotal mounting provided by apertured ears 41embracing the rod 4D. The opposite or outer ends 48 of each troughmember are open, except for a stopping bar 44 which is arranged to stopan indicator element in the nature of a ball 45 and normally disposed atthe center of the composite trough structure in a sort of valley 49formed by the partial opening between confronting inner edge parts ofthe companion troughs. The indicator ball will gravitate from itslnormal central position into position before one or the other of thestopping ,bars 44 at the outer open ends of the trough section wheneverone of those sections is dropped from its normally raised position intothe dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and also illustrated in Fig. 1.

Each of the individual trough members 42 or 43 of each' composite pairis normally positioned as viewed in Fig. 2 with the opposite pivotablesections 42 or 43 raised upwardly somewhat so that the indicator orball-45 remains in a valley formed by the spaced confronting edgeportions of the pair of trough members below the rod 40. The rockableindicator troughs are retained in this positionby opposite releaseplates 34 and 35 in their normally latched or raised positions, theupper edge portions 34 and 35 supportablyunderlying the correspondingbottom portions of the arms 42 and 43 of each corresponding compositetrough.

When the rockable troughs or indicator retainers are positionednormally, as seen in Fig. 2, the opposite open-end portions 48 thereofmay be viewed through glass panels or windows 46 arranged beneath thedome 'I4 and the glass panel tops of the corresponding compartments.However, the indicator 45 is substantially outv of View in the centralvalley.

When any of the targets has been struck and released as aforesaid, thecorresponding release or supporting member 34 will drop, and in order torestore the same (and, of course, the rockable troughs) to normallyraised position, there are provided near the opposite ends of the targetpanels a pair of vertically shiftable bars 50 arranged to slidevertically on pin and slot means 5 i, these bars being interconnected attheir upper ends by a common transverse restoring bar 52 somewhatT-shaped in cross section so as to have oppositely extending horizontalledge portions 53 underlying the several pins 31 of each of the releasemembers. At their lower ends, the shiftable bars 5i) are interconnectedby a bottom transverse member 54 disposed equidistant between parallelrods 55 seated in depending brackets or projections 5B at opposite endsof the target panels.

lMeans for actuating the restoring mechanism includes a pair of bellcranks 51 mounted on the shafts 55 and each having an arm 58 projectingbeneath the bottom transverse bar 54 on the restoring mechanism, theremaining offset arms '59 of the bell cranks being engageable by theinner end portions B9 of reciprocable rod members 6| attached at theiropposite or outer ends to mechanism including the resetting levers 20(Fig. l) on the several projectors or guns I8. c

In order to reset any or all of the target members, 1t is necessary todeposit a coin in the slot IS in one of the guns and reciprocate theresetting lever 20 thereon. This accomplishes two things: iirst, itfrees the gun for projection of a determined number of missiles; andsecond, it

moves the corresponding reciprocable rod member 5I (Fig. 2) inwardly soas to pivot the corresponding bell crank 51 and shift the resettingmechanism including the uprights 50 and the transverse T bar 52upwardly, so that the horizontal portions 53 of the transverse T barbear upwardly against all of the pins 31, etc., of the several releasingplates or such of the sameas have been released or lowered so that theseplates will again be raised and held in such position by correspondingdetents 3| on corresponding target arms.

It should be observed that when a coin is deposited in only one of theguns, only that gun is released for play, so that while al1 of thetargets will be restored to their initial position ready for use, onlythe particular gun may be used or red in which the coin has beendeposited. In this way, an individual may try his skill, in which casethe competitive element is of no concern. However, should two or moreplayers desire to match their skill, it is merely necessary to deposit acoin in each of the guns I8, whereupon the competitors may shoot at thesame or corresponding targets, for example, the targets 2E and 2 of Fig.2, and the rst one to strike his target will eifect release of thecorresponding drop or release plate 34 to cause the correspondingrockable member or trough 42 or 43 to be lowered, with the result thatthe indicator or ball 45 will gravitate toward the open end of thelowered trough section, being stopped by the crossbar 44 so that theindicator or ball will be plainly visible before the window 4S. Shouldthe other competitor strike the companion target thereafter, his hitwill have no effect upon the corresponding trough section because theinner or confronting edge portion of the previously lowered troughsection will bear against the opposite inner edge portions of thecompanion trough member and prevent the latter from dropping, and theindicator ball will remain tilted toward that side from which thescoring shot was projected, whereupon the contestants will be obliged toshoot at other targets.

In the event that it is desired to supplement the score indicatingoperation of the several rockable indicators, there may be providedindividual signal control elements, such as the push button typeswitches 65, shown in Fig. 4, there being one of the same positionedbeneath each trough and having a spring-urged normally open contact 65with a projector 6i underlying opposite trough sections so that when thelatter are lowered on that side, the switch @5 will be closed for thepurpose of energizing some signal such as a light, bell or the like.

The advantages and objects of the invention may be achieved by otherforms of construction and arrangements of parts than those specificallydescribed herein, so that the invention is not to be limited to thedetails set forth, but is to include all equivalent forms ofconstruction and operation of the described mechanism coming within thepurview of the appended claims.

Having thus described .my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. Target apparatus including target members in pairs and hit-indicatingmeans common to each pair of target members and including a pair ofoppositely extending trough members pivoted on a common shaft,releasable drop means for each of said trough members and arranged tohold the latter in raised position, each of said drop members beingsupported in raised position by one of said target members, each of thelatter being movable when struck by a missile to effect release of itscorresponding drop member to permit the corresponding trough member tomove into lowered indicating position, means for moving said dropImembers and trough members into normally raised position as aforesaid,each pair of trough members being provided with an indicating ballnormally disposed at a point adjacent the confronting portions of saidtrough members, said ball rolling into indicating position at an outerend of a trough member lowered as aforesaid.

2. Target apparatus including movable targets in pairs and meansyieldingly maintaining the same in a normal position, and hit-indicatingmeans common to each pair of targets and including a pair of troughmembers arranged end to end and pivotable about a common axis at theirconfronting ends, means cooperable with said targets for releasablyholding each of said trough members in raised position, said means beingreleasable severally when a corresponding target is struck and moved bya missile, a rolling indicator element disposed in each pair of troughmembers and normally positioned in the region of said confronting endsof the trough members when the latter are in raised position asaforesaid, said rolling element moving to an Opposite end of the one ofsaid trough members which is lowered responsive to a hit scored on thecorresponding target, and means for restoring said trough members tonormally raised position as aforesaid.

3. Target apparatus including hit-indicating means in the form of a pairof containers each having opposite open-end portions and arranged end toend, each of said containers having pivotal support for movement about acommon axis at their respective confronting end portions, a pair ofvertically movable drops, one of the same being positioned beneath eachone of said containers and each drop being arranged for movement intolowered position to permit the corresponding container to pivot intolowered position, movable target elements for each of said drops andreleasably latching the latter into raised position to raise thecorresponding container, said target elements being operable when struckby a missile to release their corresponding drops for the purposeaforesaid, and a ball indicator common to each pair of containers andnormally disposed in the region of their confronting end portions whenthe same are in raised position, said ball gravitating toward the end ofthat container which is lowered when the corresponding target element isstruck, and stop means arranged at the opposite outer ends of eachcontainer to limit the rolling movement of the ball indicator, togetherwith means for raising said drops into latched position to move andsupport their respective containers in raised position.

4. In an amusement apparatus, a housing hav- 5 position, a ballindicator in said trough memberand normally disposed between the ends ofsaid trough member when said sections thereof are raised, said targetmeans in each compartment being operatively associated with one of saidseparate holding means and operable when struck by a missile to effectrelease of said separate means to permit one of said trough sections todrop and effect movement of said indicator ball into indicating positionin said lowered section, and means for restoring said trough sections toraised normal position.

Target apparatus including a housing with a target structure havingoppositely facing targets arranged in pairs, said housing providing acompartment opposite each of said target panels and means in each ofsaid compartments for projecting missiles at said targets, together withhitindicating mechanism including a ball indicator common to each pairof said targets, a pair of trough members pivoted togethercoextensively, each of said trough members having opposite open-endportions by means of which said ball may be viewed when the ball isopposite said end portions, separate drop means and latch mechanismtherefor normally holding said drop means in raised position beneatheach of said trough sections to hold the same in relatively raisedposition whereby to provide a low point intermediate said ends, saidball normally being disposed out of view in said low point, each targetof a said pair being operatively associated with the latch means of oneof said drops in such manner that when one target of a pair is struck bya missile, the corresponding drop will be released to permit thecorresponding trough section to fall whereby said ball will be caused tomove into indicating position opposite the open-end portion of saidtrough section, said trough sections having means at said open-endportions thereof for preventing movement of the ballindicator out of thesame, and manually operable mechanism for raising said drops jointlyinto latched normal position.

6. AIn a target apparatus, target members arranged in pairs, means forprojecting missiles at said target members and hit-indicating meansincluding a trough member having two movable sections arranged to pivotin a vertical plane adjacent said target members, release means for eachsaid trough section and arranged for movement into raised position toraise the corresponding trough section whereby to provide a low pointbetween the ends of the trough, a freely movable indicator normallydisposed in said low point, the extreme end portions of said troughsections having means confining said indicator element therein andpermitting said element to be viewed endwise of the trough sections whensaid indicator element is positioned adjacent either of said ends,releasable latch means associated with each target member of a said pairand arranged to hold one of said release members in raisedposition, saidlatch means being released when the corresponding target member isstruck by a ymissile to effect lowering movement of the,correspondingtrough section, whereby to eiect movement of said indicator from saidlow point into indicating position opposite the end portion of thelowered trough section, and means for restoring said release members andsaid trough sections to normally raised position.

7. In a target apparatus, oppositely facing targets arranged pairs,means providing separate compartments opposite each target of a pair,means in each of said compartments for projecting a missile at thecorresponding target, and hit-indicating means common to each pair oftargets and including a ball indicator disposed to roll in a containerhaving relatively movable sections, separate means normally moving eachof said sections into raised position to dispose said lball between theends of the container, and latch means for each of said separate meansand operatively associated with one of said targets such that when onetarget of a pair is struck by a missile, the corresponding latch meanswill be released to effect lowering of the corresponding containersection, whereby said ball will be caused to gravitate into indicatingAposition in said lowered section, and means for restoring saidcontainer sections simultaneously to normally raised position.

8. In an amusement apparatus, a housing, a target structure havingoppositely facing Wall portions and positioned in said housing so as todivide the same into compartments each facing one of said wall portions,missile-projecting means in each compartment, a movable target arrangedwith relation to the wall portion in each compartment to be struck by amissile from the projecting means therein, the targets-in eachcompartment constituting a pair, hit-indicating means for each pair oftargets and including a trough divided between its ends into tworelatively pivotable sections, said sections being arranged for pivotalmovement in a substantially vertical plane above the corresponding pairof targets, vertically movable release means below each trough sectionand each movable into raised position to engage and raise thecorresponding trough section whereby to provide a low point between theends of said trough, and latch means for each of said release means andeach operably associated with one of said targets and arranged to holdthe corresponding release means in normally raised position and freesaid release means when the corresponding target is struck by a missile,whereby to permit the corresponding trough section to fall into loweredposition, a freely movable indicator arranged within said trough andnormally disposed in said low point when the trough sections are raisedas aforesaid, said indicator gravitating into indicating position in oneof said trough sections lowered responsve to a hit scored on one of saidtargets, and means for restoring said release means to normally raisedposition.

9. Target apparatus including a housing having opposite compartmentswith missile-projecting means in each compartment and a target structurecommon to said compartments and having a pair of targets with one targetof each pair positionedopposite one of said compartments, andhit-indicating means for each pair of targets and including a movablehit indicator and container means normally disposing the same innon-indicating position, together with mechanism operatively controlledby each target of said pair for effecting movement of Isaid containermeans to move said indicator in opposite directions to indicate a hitfor one or the other target of each pair, and manually operable meansfor restoring said container means to normalposition with said indicatorin non-indicating position.

1G. Target amusement apparatus including a target structure with targetsarranged on opposite sides thereof and means for projecting missiles atsaid targets, and hit-indicating means including a container havingtiltable sections and mounted in said target structure for tiltingmovement of said sections in the direction of opposite sides of thetarget structure and targets thereon, said container having openportions at the ends of the tiltable sections opposite the tilting axisthereof, separate release means normally latche'd in raised popsition byseparate targets on opposite sidesr of the t-arget structure for holdingthe tiltable sections of one of said containers in a normally tiltedcondition, an indicating ball in said container and normally disposedout of view when said sections are normally tilted as aforesaid, saidtargets being operable when struck by a missile to effect movement ofthe corresponding separate release means whereby to eifect tilt- 75` ingmovement of a corresponding container section and cause said indicatorball to move into indicating position opposite the open portion in saidsection and toward the target which has been struck, and means forrestoring said container sections and the corresponding separate releasemeans thereof into normally tilted position.

11. An amusement device including a cabinet,

'a pair of target panels in parallel upright position in said cabinetand dividing the latter intor tWo compartments, missile projecting meansin each said compartment, each of said target panels having a targetelement, and hit-indicating means common to each of said target elementsand including a rolling element, pivoted container means with oppositeopenings before which said rolling element may be positioned to indicatea hit, separate releasable means normally disposing said container meanswith said rolling element positioned out of indicating position relativeto said opposite openings, and means operable severally by said targetelements to effect release of said releasable means and movement of saidcontainer means to cause said rolling element to move into indicatingposition at one of said opposite ends When one of said target elementsis struck by a missile, together With manually operable means forrestoring said releasable means and container means to said normalposition.

12. An indicator including a trough comprised of two movable sectionspivoted for movement about the same horizontal axis at a point betweenthe ends of the trough, the opposite ends of the trough formed by saidsections having open portions, a ball in said trough, separatesupporting means each arranged for vertical movement beneath one of saidtrough sections, and means normally urging said supporting means intolowered position relative to a corresponding trough section, togetherwith releasable latch means for said supporting means and severallyo-perable to latch said supporting means in raised normal position inengagement with a corresponding trough section to hold the same inraised position whereby a low point is provided between the ends of saidtrough, said ball normally resting in said low point and rolling intoindicating position before the open portion in one of said sectionslowered responsive to release of one of said supporting means, togetherWith mechanism for restoring said supporting means and the correspondingtrough sections to said normally raised position.

WALTER A. TRATSCH.

